Bihar to launch joint drive with Jharkhand against Maoists

The Bihar government has given clearance for the constitution of an Inter-State Joint Task Force in consultation with Jharkhand to launch joint operations against naxalites at the directive of the Centre.

Stating this, minister in-charge home Brijendra Prasad Yadav told the assembly that to bring the naxalites back to the mainstream, a number of measures, including 'sarkar apke dwar' (government at your door step) were being taken.

The police force was also being modernised to take on the naxalites, he said.

Yadav said altogether 2158 naxalites and commanders of private militia were taken into custody during 2005-2009. 

Altogether 118 encounters between the police and naxalites took place during the period in which 62 ultras fell to police bullets and 835 firearms including 167 regular rifles, 66 police weapons and 366 landmines and bombs were seized.

The police also seized 62,921 kg of explosive materials, 99,344 detonators, 116 handgrenades, 41,462 cartridges of different bores in a special drive launched against naxalites.

Yadav told the House that since the NDA government took over the reins of the state in November 2005, its priority was to check kidnapping for ransom. 

While 411 cases of kidnapping for ransom were reported in in 2004, it came down to 251 after the NDA government came to power in 2005. 

Amidst noisy walkout by the entire opposition, the budgetary demands of the Home department totalling over Rs 2838.69 crore was passed by voice-vote after rejecting cut motions.